A wild guess:
If you have an AMD processor, sometimes you can have conflicts between ram and AGP. Pass
mem=nopentium to the kernel and see if that fixes the vid problems.
# Find CPU specifications
cat /proc/cpuinfo
Gentoo news article
Another possibility is you may need a driver for your vid card.
# Configuring X
Linux Hardware Compatibility HOWTO - video cards
The Linux XFree86 HOWTO
Configuring XFree86 for a Non-Specific Linux Distribution
Common X configuring tools:
Mandrake - XFdrake
You may have these tools:
XF86Setup
XFree86 -configure
Xconfigurator
xf86cfg
xf86config
xconf
ATI Linux drivers
If you need the
nVidia driver, you want the Linux IA32 driver
# Mandrake links
Mandrake home page
Mandrake Users website
Easy urpmi config for Mandrake
urpmi mini-HOWTO
Easy software management:
Red Carpet
Maximum RPM
rpmfind
You didn't install the developmental packages? As root, command:
urpmi gcc
An Introduction to the Midnight Commander. You can install it by commanding:
urpmi mc
Midnight Commander home page